Background The present study aimed to evaluate the predictive utility of the C-reactive protein (CRP)/albumin (CRP/Alb) ratio in predicting outcomes of acute pancreatitis in Indian patients. Methods This prospective observational study included 150 patients admitted within 24 hours of symptom onset. Serum CRP and albumin levels were measured to calculate the CRP/Alb ratio. Atlanta criteria classified severity as mild, moderate, or severe. The primary outcome was persistent organ failure. Results The mean age was 45±15 years, and 63% were males. The median C-reactive protein was 120 mg/L, Alb 3.2 g/dL, and CRP/Alb ratio 0.28. Severe acute pancreatitis patients (n = 50) had higher CRP/Alb ratios than mild cases (0.45 vs. 0.20, p<0.001). At a cut-off of 0.25, the CRP/Alb ratio demonstrated 85% sensitivity, 80% specificity, and an AUROC of 0.82 for predicting organ failure. This was significantly higher than the CRP (area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve 0.72, p = 0.03) and Ranson score (AUROC 0.76, p = 0.04). On multivariate regression, CRP/Alb ratio >0.25 independently predicted severe acute pancreatitis after adjusting for age, gender, and CT severity index (adjusted OR 5.2, 95% CI 2.8-9.6). Conclusion The CRP/Alb ratio calculated within 24 hours reliably predicts persistent organ dysfunction in Indian acute pancreatitis patients. Incorporating this inexpensive biomarker into clinical prediction tools could significantly improve early risk stratification and streamline healthcare delivery in resource-limited settings.
Keywords: acute pancreatitis; acute pancreatitis complications; c-reactive protein to albumin ratio; north indian population; prognostic predictor.
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